Sleeping Beauty
by Luv2writeHOA
Summary: After a fallout between Fabian and Nina, a horrible accident occurs leaving the couple in the hospital, one of them on life support. Will true love's kiss save them? Or will their happily ever after become just a fairytale?


Sleeping Beauty

Chapter One

Nina's POV

It was a rainy spring morning as I was heading for school. My arm was linked with Fabian's and I half listened as he talked about Egyptian mythology. It was something about the afterlife God Anubis, who our house is named for.

Eddie and Patricia zoomed past us, hands clasped together, laughing. For a moment, I wished Fabian and I were like that. All we ever do is talk about the mystery, or school, or Egyptian mythology, or Sarah. Sometimes it just gets tiring you know? I wish we did those couple-y things like sharing cute inside jokes; going out on dates, randomly start dancing the waltz even if there isn't any music playing.

"Nina, are you listening?" Fabian reached down and grasped my hand. He squeezed slightly and looked into my eyes. There was a time when I loved that, but now his concern was getting a bit too – what's the word? – Oh yeah, patronizing. Like I couldn't care for myself.

I nodded my head, still staring after Patricia and Eddie. Ah, new love, so fresh and well, not annoying.

Fabian didn't seem convinced. "Nina, I can tell you aren't hearing a word I'm saying. Could you listen to me for a second?"

I turned toward him. Suddenly I was angry. Angry at Eddie and Patricia for flaunting their love in my face, at Fabian for not understanding what I want… "No, I can't Fabian. I'm tired of hearing you talk and talk and talk about boring Egyptian mythology." I started to walk away, but Fabian still kept my hand in a firm grip.

"What is wrong with you today?" Fabian asked, his voice taking on a more angry sub-text than a concerned one.

"Everything! Gosh, you don't get it do you?"

He shook his head, confused.

I pointed towards the way Patreddie went. "That is what I want. I want the new couple feeling. I want to take silly pictures of us and post them on my profile. I want to brag that you're my boyfriend and have people be jealous of me, not sorry for me. I know that's selfish, but seriously Fabian." I took a breath. He looked hurt. "But what I want most of all?" He closed his eyes, waiting for the blow. "I want to still be in love with you. But I'm not."

Chapter Two

Nina's POV

I hadn't meant to say it at all. But suddenly, while I was ranting, I couldn't stop and that just came out. I wasn't lying though, now that I thought it through. I don't love Fabian anymore.

He opened his eyes and looked at me, horrified at what had come out of my mouth. "You don't love me anymore?" He asked, clarifying.

I nodded sheepishly. He turned to walk away, but I caught up with him. He was walking so fast I had to jog to keep up. "Fabes, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do it like this. Heck, I never meant to do it. I- I just want you to know that I'm sorry it has to end this way."

Fabian didn't answer, he just sped up and eventually, I couldn't keep up. I fell behind. "I'm sorry!" I yelled one last time. But his shoulders were hunched over and I knew he wasn't listening.

Chapter Three

Fabian's POV

I wonder if it was obvious. If I had been anyone else, could I have figured it out? Maybe. Nina didn't love me anymore. But I still love her. How could she do this to me?

School that day was hard. I could sense Amber's eyes boring a hole in the back of my head, wondering why I was sitting separate from Nina.

"What is up with you and Neens? Did you dump her AGAIN?" Amber asked as soon as class was over. "I don't want to ask Nina in case it's a sore subject."

I hugged my books close to my chest. "Well you should have asked her because it's a sore subject for me."

Amber just looked confused. "What?"

I turned to her. "Amber, she dumped me. She said she didn't love me anymore." I thought for a moment. "Do people really feel sorry for her when she says she's dating me?"

Amber didn't answer, she just patted my shoulder. I got the message.

Joy came up next to me, causing Amber to tactfully walk away. "Hey, Fabes! I heard that Fabina is no longer together. Up for a little Jabian on Saturday night?"

"Go away, Joy. I'm not in the mood." I started walking to my next class.

"Oh come on Fabes," She bumped my hip. "I was just kidding!"

Just then Nina walked by us. Before I knew what I was doing, I dropped my books, grabbed Joy's shoulders and kissed her, square on the mouth. She looked shocked. Nina looked hurt. Good. Now she knew how I felt.

But somehow making Nina feel bad made me feel worse.

Chapter Four

Nina's POV

Did he really just kiss her like that? I thought he still loved me! I know I dumped him, but did he really get over me that fast? It's only been a few hours… Is that even possible?

Was he trying to make me feel jealous? No, Fabian's not like that… Isn't he? All these questions and no answers. Man, I hate love. It's so confusing and one little miscommunication can lead to a fallout. But, I guess "I don't love you anymore" can't be "miscommunicated" but whatever.

I knew I was about to start bawling, so I ran from the scene to the bathroom where I entered a stall and stayed there until the din outside quieted down to nothing. Once I knew no one was around to hear me, I let the floodgates open.

Eventually Patricia found me. "Nina?" she asked tentatively, knocking on the stall door.

"What?" I hated how my voice sounded little girl-ish and hoarse. I cleared my throat. "What?" I repeated.

"Are you okay? I saw what happened back there. You know with Fabian and Joy?" I must have made some sort of strangled noise because Patricia backtracked. "Sorry, sorry. Sore subject I know. Neens would you open the door? I feel stupid talking to a bathroom stall."

Slowly I opened the door. Patricia reeled back and I realized I must've looked pretty horrible. She reached out her hand and I took it. "C'mon, Neens, let's get you cleaned up!" She led me to the mirror and reached into her bag for a hairbrush, lip gloss, and mascara.

As she worked on me I finally found my voice again. "Won't you get in trouble for skipping class?"

She shrugged. "No more than you will. Miss Valentine will kill us both."

For some reason I found this hysterically funny so I started giggling. So did Patricia. "Thanks," I said after I'd controlled myself. "I needed that."

She brushed my hair back into a neat ponytail. "Anytime, Neens, anytime!"

Chapter Five

Fabian's POV

As I watched Nina rush off, Joy stood in front of me, frozen. Finally she found her voice. "Wha?" She asked, dazed and confused. "What the heck was that for? I thought you didn't like me?"

I picked up my books. "Sorry, Joy. I, um, didn't mean to do that. I- just sorry." Then I turned and hurried off to class.

Nina wasn't in class. Neither was Patricia. They must have been together.

What had I done? I'd hurt Nina, confused Joy, and made a fool of myself all in about 8 seconds. That has got to be some kind of record! I sighed inwardly. Now Nina would never love me. But we've had problems before; we've broken up. We always get through.

Something in the back of my mind says, "Not now that you've screwed everything up, you idiot!" I push away the thought. I've kissed Joy before. Sure, I thought she was Nina, but we still got back together didn't we?

You know, love and life can be so complicated.

Chapter Six

Nina's POV

I decided to ignore the fact that Fabian kissed Joy altogether. If you asked me, I'd say it never even happened.

That evening we were all doing our homework at the dining table. Fabian walked up to me and bluntly said, "Nina, I need to talk to you. Come with me."

"Fabian, I'm kind of busy right now." I shook my head and went back to my work.

He just rolled his eyes and grabbed my arm. He led me outside to a car. Finally he let go. "What is wrong with you?" I asked, rubbing my arm. His grip had been pretty strong.

"I need to talk to you. And Nina, don't say you're busy. It's important."

I sighed and agreed to talk to him. He ushered me into the car and we sat there. Neither of us talked; it was pretty awkward actually. "So," I said, trying to stem some conversation. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I want to talk about us. Can't you rethink the whole thing? You can't just all of a sudden stop loving me!"

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. "Fabes, I, I don't know. I don't know why I don't love you anymore, I just don't. And it isn't sudden. I think I've felt like this for a while now."

"You think?" He asked, clarifying. "So in other words, you don't know if you have felt like this for a while."

"Fabian, stop being a smartass. Just listen to me. I don't love you anymore. I'm sorry and I wish I still did, but the fact is I just don't alright? I don't. I can't change that, it just happened." I turned and looked out the window at all the dorm houses.

Suddenly, I heard Fabian start the engine. Instinctively, I pulled on my seatbelt. "What are you doing? Fabes?"

"You can't call me 'Fabes'. You don't love me, and it was you're name for me when we were dating. So don't use it if you don't love me." I could tell his teeth were gritted. We started forward at a startlingly fast speed.

I screwed my face up, confused. "Fabian, you're not making sense!" We were going even faster, and a group of students were crossing the path where we were about to cross. "Fabian stop! You're going to run those students over!" At the last minute Fabian swerved, barely missing the scrambling students. I gripped the door handle. "Fabian slow down!"

Fabian looked at me, holding my gaze for a full three seconds before he turned back to the road. We were now leaving school grounds. "You know, Nina, you're a bitch." He said, his foot still pressed down on the gas pedal. I was taken aback, but more terrified for my life. The insult didn't register as much as it would have if we hadn't been going insanely fast. "You confuse me," He said, staring at the road, his hands gripped to the steering wheel so hard, his knuckles were white. "You mess with my head. You want me one minute, the next you don't. I can't tell if you're joking this time or not." He shook his head and laughed bitterly. "For all I know, you're doing this to get more attention from me. For all I know, you've been cheating on me with someone, and want me out of the picture. Well you know what, Nina? That's not okay with me. I'm not some sort of toy you can beat up, and have around only when it's convenient for you."

I was pressed up against my seat, holding on for dear life. "Fabian!" I gasped. "Slow the hell down! You're going to get us killed!" He didn't listen, just pressed his foot down more on the gas pedal. "FABIAN!" I screamed, as a truck came barreling towards us.

That's when I realized we were in the wrong lane.

That's the last thing I remember before I blacked out.

Chapter Seven

Fabian's POV

The accident was all my fault. I was lucky I didn't kill us both. Luckily Nina's warning shook me into reality and I jerked out of the way in time. We just ran through a guardrail and down a small hill. But we spun out and hit a tree, the passenger side taking most of the hit.

I woke up in a hospital room with my head bandaged, and my leg in a cast. I had major cuts and bruises and a very sore fat lip, but I was alive. I was alive.

Nina. Where was she? I tried to get up, but there were millions of tubes stuck in my arms and restraints holding me to my hospital bed. When a nurse came in I asked about her.

She told me that Nina was in the Intensive Care Unit.

She also said that Nina was in a coma. They didn't think she'd ever wake up.

Chapter Eight

Nina's POV

I woke up in a bright room. Well, 'woke up' probably isn't the right thing to say. I became conscious in a bright room. I tried to open my eyes, but they were weirdly heavy. They wouldn't budge. I smelled the antiseptic and realized I was in a hospital.

Everything came back to me. Fabian. The accident. Was he okay? Where were the nurses? Who could I ask? Eventually one came in. I tried to ask her but I couldn't move my mouth. I couldn't use my voice to make a sound. I tried moving my arms. They wouldn't work either. What happened to me?

The nurse came over and stroked my hair. I could tell she was looking at me sympathetically and she said, "Poor girl. I hope you wake up. The doctors don't think you will. But I know you will. You look like a resilient young girl." She kissed my forehead. "I'm Nancy, dear. I know it's stupid talking to someone in a coma, but I hope you can hear me. I hope you know that I'm rooting for you to wake up. Your friends will be here soon. Please wake up."

It took me a moment to register. The reason why I couldn't move anything was because I was in a coma. The doctors didn't think I'd ever wake up. They didn't know that my brain was still working. I hoped Nancy was right about me being resilient. I had to wake up. I had to. I just had to.

Chapter Nine

Fabian's POV

Amber visited me one afternoon. I could tell she was angry, the way she sat down on the end of my bed and pursed her lips. "Fabian, it's good to see you doing well."

I knew she didn't want to yell at me since I was in the hospital, but I could tell that she was just about to do that very thing. I put her out of her misery. "Amber, go ahead. Scream at me."

Instantly she shot up to her feet. "HOW COULD YOU, FABIAN? I MEAN, YOU WERE GOING 120 MILES AN HOUR! YOU'RE LUCKY YOU DIDN'T KILL YOURSELF." She took a deep breath. "But Nina probably won't be so lucky. You probably just killed her. You can go to JAIL for that, Fabian. It was your reckless driving after all!"

I hung my head. My restraints and some of the tubes were gone, I just now noticed. "I know. Amber, what do you think I've been thinking about all this time? I've been thinking about how I probably just killed Nina. I've also been thinking about jail. How it'll be if I am sent there. All I can hope for is that my parents get me an amazing lawyer."

She pursed her lips. "Look, I'm going to go see Nina. I just hope she wakes up. If she doesn't, I think I'll probably kill you." Then she hopped up off the bed and got out of the room.

Chapter Ten

Nina's POV

I heard the door to my room open. I couldn't move my eyes, but that didn't matter anyway, since the nurse closed my eyes when she left. I felt someone sit on the end of my bed. They reached up and opened my eyes, probably to see if I'd respond. I caught a glimpse of blonde hair and I knew it was Amber. I should have guessed anyway. She was the only one who had her perfume.

"Hey, Neens." She said. I wished I could say 'hi' back. All I could do was lie there limply like, well, someone in a coma. "How's it going?" She giggled for a moment then quieted down. "I shouldn't be laughing at a time like this. It's not proper. But, I was told to just talk to you like normal; like nothing's happened." She cleared her throat. "Anyway, Alfie and I had this little spat. I'm not sure if it's really anything, but it's still been bothering me. I'm not sure – oh, Neens I can't do this. Please wake up! You've got too much to live for! And I need advice!"

I felt her get up off the bed. She opened my eyes again. They stayed open. She waved her hand in front of my face. Apparently she didn't get the response she wanted. "Oh, answer me, Nina!" She closed my eyes again. "You're Gran will be here in a few days. She said she couldn't get here sooner because of some airplane mix-up."

I heard the door open again. "Miss, visiting hours are over now. I'm sorry, but you'll have to leave." I recognized the voice of the nurse that first tried to talk to me.

I so badly wanted to reach out to Amber, tell her that I was still there, just in a body that wouldn't respond. "Okay, can I just say goodbye?"

I felt panic rush through me, but the machines I was hooked up to stayed normal. There was no frantic beeping, nothing. _Calm down, Nina. She's just saying goodnight. Not goodbye, forever. You aren't going to die. Everyone would be here if it came to that._ Amber opened my eyes again. "Bye, Neens. I'll be back soon. You'll get better, I know you will. We'll get you off Life Support. You'll be you again." She smiled sadly and brushed some of my hair back. "You're my best friend. I love you." Then she closed my eyes again and I heard her leave the room. I felt a tear roll down my cheek.

Chapter Eleven

Fabian's POV

It was a few weeks later. I was well enough to go back to the house. I'd had a choice of going home or back to Anubis house, but home _was_ Anubis house. I came back to the hospital one day to visit Nina for the first time.

I opened the door, quietly. I went over to her Gran, who looked up at me, hatefully. "You!" She growled. "You did this to my granddaughter! She's all I had left, Fabian! I lost her mom, my daughter, my son-in-law, and now my granddaughter, all because you were angry. You, bastard!"

I'd never heard an old woman use that kind of language. I looked down at my feet. "I'm sorry, Gran. I'm so sorry."

"Yeah? Well sorry won't bring her back, will it?" She stood up. "I'm going to get some tea. I can't look at you right now."

I watched her leave, and then sat down on Nina's bed. "Hey, Nina, I-" I felt tears rise up. What was I going to say? 'Hey, Nina, I'm sorry I killed you. You know I didn't mean to.' I mean, seriously, that was just stupid. "I'm such an idiot. I'm also a murderer, since I basically just killed you. I was angry and upset that you didn't love me and I don't know…" I gestured to the machines she was hooked up to. "And now you're on life support." Finally I just started bawling. I know it wasn't manly and did nothing for my street cred, but it did mean I was sensitive.

I reached up to open her eyes. They stayed open, but I was afraid to keep them open for long, since they might dry out. But I had to look her in the eye. "I'm so sorry, Nina. I'm sorry I took everything away from you. I would switch places with you if I could, you know I would. I just want you to know that I love you. I loved you from the moment you bumped into Patricia. I will love you until the day I die. Which could be tomorrow the way I drive." I knew that would've made her laugh. I kissed her forehead. "I love you Nina. And I'm sorry for everything."

I saw tears roll down her cheeks. I jumped up, yelling for a nurse. She was responding! The nurse hustled in, and when I showed her the tears, she looked at me sadly. "Hon, that's not uncommon. Even for the patient's that are declared brain dead."

"Oh," I said softly, closing Nina's eyes again. Thirty seconds of pure joy. That's all I had. Thirty seconds.

Chapter Twelve

Fabian's POV

It was three weeks later. All of us had taken turns talking with Nina after school. She hadn't showed any signs of getting better, and the doctors were advising Nina's gran to pull the plug. After a few days deliberation, Gran decided that she had to let Nina go.

The entire house was in the hospital room: Amber, Alfie, Mick, Mara, Jerome, Patricia, Eddie, Joy, Trudy, Gran, and even Victor. I was there too of course. We each had a chance to say goodbye by ourselves. I wanted to go last. I avoided everyone's goodbyes, but Eddie's. I'm not sure why I was compelled to listen, but I did.

"Nina," Eddie whispered. I peeked around the corner I was hiding behind and watched him take her hand. "I am a horrible Osirian. When Fabian wanted to talk to you that day, that voice in my head was screaming at me 'DANGER! DANGER!' But then Patricia distracted me. I figured that Fabian was no threat and that if there was; he'd die trying to protect you. I shouldn't have passed my responsibility onto someone else. I could have stopped Fabian. Made him cool down before he tried to talk to you. It's my fault that you're here; not his. I'm sorry that you got a crappy Osirian. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. Who would've thought you'd go this way?" I heard him sigh. "But, I guess saying I'm sorry won't bring you back to me. I just feel horrible for Fabian, though. You've gotta know that he's sorry. I hope you forgave him." I heard him get up. "I'm sorry, Neens. Goodbye." I looked around and saw him kiss her on the forehead. I quickly dashed out the door before he saw me.

We all said our goodbyes and the doctors were there to end her life support. They were saying how truly sorry they were, but I didn't believe a word of it. She wasn't a person to them. Just a patient.

We were all bawling our eyes out as one of the doctors reached to pull the plug. But then there was a piercing scream. "STOP!" The doctor's hand hovered above the plug. I looked over and saw Eddie rushing over towards me. He grabbed my shoulders. "Fabian. I understand now. You have to kiss her."

"But I already did."

He shook his head. "No, like you mean it! On the mouth!"

"But she's-" I looked over at her.

"Don't be a baby! Kiss her like you've done a million other times before."

"What's supposed to happen? She'll wake up, just like in those fairytales? Like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty?"

"My Osirian voices were whispering to me. 'True love's kiss! True love's kiss!' Over and over. They mean you, Fabian."

"And that will-"

He punched me in the arm. "Just go!"

I walked back over to Nina. The Doctor had righted himself and was looking at Eddie like he needed to have his head examined. Osirian voices? Crazy much?

I brushed back Nina's hair and smiled at her. "I hope this works," I whispered so quiet I was sure I was the only one who could hear it. I closed my eyes and kissed her. I felt the fireworks, and all of my memories of Nina flooded back. The first time I saw her, how beautiful she looked at the end of term Prom, and all of her horrible jokes.

I broke the kiss and stepped back, praying that something would happen. We waited. And waited. I kissed her again and nothing happened.

"I could've sworn-" Eddie started. But then Nina's eyelids began to flutter. Her hands started twitching. "Just a delayed reaction," Eddie said, not hiding the giddiness in his voice.

"Come on, Nina. You can do this. Come back to me. Please come back to me! We need you!" We were all chanting, coaxing her out.

Finally I stopped chanting with everyone else. "I love you, Nina. I love you. I love you. I love you." I said the words over and over again. All of the noise tuned out in my head and all I could hear was myself. "I love you. I love you."

Nina's eyes snapped open. She smiled and said, "Well it took you long enough!"

THE END


End file.
